Leo simmons



1&0 Model.) 3 Sheets-5heet 1-.

L. SIMMONS.

' SAFE.

N0. 470,0.17. Patente dMar. 1,1892.

. ll I5 3 SheetsSheet 3.

, L. SIMMONS.

SAFE.

No. 470,017. Patented Mani, 1892.

A T T OHAIE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEO SIMMONS, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT'OF COLUMBIA.

SAFE.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,017, dated March 1, 1892. Application filed June 9, 1891. Serial No. 395,647. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO SIMMONS, of \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in safes.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved safe exceedingly simple, strong, and

durable in construction and composed of.a minimum number of parts, the particular object of the invention being to provide a safe which is burglar-proof and which can be quickly and easily taken to pieces when it is desired to move the same, so that the safe can be easily carried in sect1ons,'thereby ob- Viating the immense amount of time and labor usually requiredin moving a safe, and which is so constructed that the safe can be easily and quickly built up again and placed in condition for use.

These objects are accomplished by and this invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective showing the sections of the safe separated, the doors and securing means not being shown. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the sides of the safe. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the back and door of the safe. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the safe provided with two doors, one of the doors being shown open. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of the securing means, holding the sections of the safe together. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional View showing how the vertical door-post or mullion is removably located between the top and bottom parts of the safe.

ing of an ordinary office-safe is well known. The safe is often of such size that the window- The great difiiculty attendant on the movframes have to be removed in order to get the safe from the room. Clumsy and complicated machinery and a large force of men and a considerable length of time are necessary in moving the safes because of their great weight and bulk. It is the object of my invention to obviate these disadvantages by providing a safe which can be easily and quickly taken to pieces and transported and moved in comparatively small and light sections, which can be easily and quickly put together and locked in position so that the safe will be burglarproof.

In the drawings, reference-letter a indicates the bottom plate or casting of the safe, which is preferably flat and rectangular, as shown, and can be provided with the casters 1). 0 indicates a similar corresponding top plate or casting of the safe.

The sides and back of the safe are composed of the series of transverse sections at and 6, each section including a portion of the back and two sides of the safe, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, each section being cast or otherwise formed integral of suitable thickness and height and of strong durable metal, preferably iron.

The bottom of the safe is provided with a deep-grooved socket or seat f in its upper surface, located near and parallel with the two sides and back of said bottom section or plate. This socket or seat is tapered downwardly or V-shaped in cross-section, and the longitudinal sides of the socket or seat are formed lonor projection h, in length and cross-section similar and corresponding to the two sockets f and f, so that when the lower section at of the body is placed in position its tongue or tapered projecting lower edge will rest and fit snugly in the seat f and the outer surfaces of the sections will be flush with the outer edges of the bottom plate a. lower section d is provided with a seat or socket similar to the seat or socket f in the bottom plate a, and the next or interlnedia i section e is provided with a tapered lower edg The upper edge of the similar to the tapered projecting lower edge h, which snugly fits in the socket in the upper edge of lower section d, so that said two sections firmly interlock with their outer faces flush.

Any suitable number of intermediate sections 6 can be employed, and in fact the entire safe can be built up with any desirable number of sections. The intermediate section 6 is formed projecting and tapered at its upper edge to form a tongue which fits in socket f in the end edge of the top section (Z, and the upper edge of the top section d is formed to constitute the tongue or projection h, which fits in the socket f of the top plate of the safe. All of these tongues or projections and sockets are tapered and made longitudinally irregular or rabbeted out or in steps, substantially as shown, so that all of the sections and the top and bottom interlock snugly and accurately, so that a smooth flush outer surface is'formed for the safe, the entire safe being built up of one horizontal section upon another, each horizontal section being preferably formed integral and consisting of a horizontal section of the back, and the two parallel sections of the two sides extending from the ends of said horizontal section of the back.

If desirable, a dowel-pin 'i,wrapped with rubher or other suitable elastic, soft, or flexible material 7', can be provided to fit into suitable registering apertures in the opposite sections and the top and bottom, so as to firmly and snugly unite said sections and prevent rattling or loose joints between the sections. (See Fig. 5.)

Any suitable means can be employed to removably lock the sections together, such as the vertical rods it, having the oppositely "screw-threaded ends united by swivel-joints or'turn-buckles it. These binding-rods k are formed with hooks Z at their ends, which hook into eyes 'm in the outer ends of anchors m, projecting from the inner faces of the top and bottom plates. These anchors m are cast or otherwise rigidly secured in the top and bottom plates, so that they will be a distance from the outer surfaces of said plates, whereby access to said anchors cannot be had from the exterior of the safe.

If desirable, additional securing means and braces can be employed, such as diagonal bars n, bolted or otherwise secured to the inner sides of the sections and set in or countersunk in the inner surfaces of said sections, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These securing means are located close to the inner sides of the safewalls, so that the asbestus or other lining 0 of non-conducting material can be removably located and form the inner walls of the compartments within the safe.

The safe, as shown in Fig. 4, is preferably provided with two doors p, hinged at their outer edges to swing outwardly, said doors being so constructed that they can be lifted from the safe, parts of the hinges q of the of the doors.

doors being carried by the front ends of two or more of the sections of the safe. The edges of these doors are beveled and longitudinally irregular, as shown, and are provided with suitable locking mechanism. (Not shown.) The two doors are separated by the door-post or mullion a", which is beveled and formed longitudinally irregular at its vertical edges to correspond with and receive the onteredges The top outer edge of the bottom plate a between said post 1" and the ends of said sections is beveled and formed irregular, as shown, to receive the lower edges of the doors, and the top plate a at its portions forming tops of the door-openings is correspondingly formed. The ends of the doorpost or mullion r are tapered and formed transversely irregular and fit in correspondingly-formed sockets in the top and bottom. plates of the safe, respectively, as shown 1n Fig. 7. Dowel-pins t' are also employed to hold mullion. The inner edges of the front ends of the sides are also beveled ofi to taper and are formed irregular to receive the correspoudingly-formed edges of the doors.

Of course it is evident that my invention is not limited to any peculiar construction of door or door-post and that one door can be used in my invention instead of two, although I prefer to use the construction illustrated in Fig. 4, because the doors when constructed in this manner are very light and easily moved.

The safe can be taken apart when desired by removing the lining of non-conducting material and drawing the screws or bolts securing the braces '21., then removing said braces, and then loosening the turnbuckles is, so that the ends of the binding-rods can be unhooked from their anchors. The top of the safe can now be lifted off and the sections removed from their places one by one. The safe can then be carried where desired in comparatively light and easily-handled sections, and can be easily and quickly built up again and locked together to form a burglar-proof safe where desired.

If desired, I can form sockets (not here shown) in the inner surface of the top plate 0 to receive casters, so that said top plate can be easily rolled upon the floor by hooking one of the binding-rods lo in the eye m of an anchor. Where a door-post or mul-lio'n, as shown in Fig. 4, is employed, it also is formed as a separate section and can be lifted up, as before described, and also the doors can be lifted from their hinges.

Great advantages are attained by the use of the peculiar interlocking means between the sections, as they cause the parts of the safe to firmly and rigidly fit together and also prevent burglarious attempts to obtain entrance into the safe.

The extreme simplicity and great utility of my invention are obvious, and it is evident that various slight changes might be resorted to in the form, arrangements, constructions,

and numbers of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the constructions herein set forth; but- What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The herein-described knockdown burglar-proof safe, consisting of sections interlocking at their edges by means of tapered sockets and projecting edges which are longitudinally irregular and by means of steps or rabbeted-out portions, substantially as defor removably locking said sections together, such means being located within the safe and accessible from the interior of the safe only.

2. A sectional burglar-proof safe consisting of the horizontal transverse sections and the top and bottom plates, each section formed integral and consisting of portions of all sides of the safe except the front, said sections interlocking and provided with internal looking means, substantially as set forth.

3. A sectional burglar-proof safe comprising the top and bottom portions, the horizontal intermediate sections, each section formed integral and consisting of portions of all sides of the safe except the front, said sections at top and bottom having corresponding interlocking sockets per and lower edges of each section being formed into continuous proj scribed, and means, substantially as set forth,

and projecting edges, the upections or continuous sockets and locking means and one or more doors.

4. The safe composed of sections having corresponding interlocking projecting edges and sockets, corresponding apertures in sai sockets or projections, and dowel-pins coated with an elastic or soft material, arranged substantially as set forth and shown.

5. The sectional safe composed of I transverse sections and the upright bars countersunk in .the inner surfaces of the said sections and removably secured thereto to hold the sections together, substantially as described.

6. A knockdown burglar-proof safe composed of sections and the internal locking means to hold said sections together, consisting of anchors rigid in opposite portions of the safe and projecting into the interior thereof, and binding-rods uniting said anchors and provided with clamping vmeans, such as a turn-buckle.

7. A sectional safe composed of the removable sections, the internal means for removably locking said sections together, and the removable lining of non-conducting material.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence witnesses.

- LEO SIMMONS.

Witnesses:

O. E. DUFFY, H. E. PEoK.

of two v 

